Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Virginia and New York will experience the after-effects of Sandy into the weekend. On Oct. 30, 1948, Donora, Pa., experienced a different deadly event. Pittsburgh was known as the Steel City and communities surrounding it contributed to the production of steel. On that October day, plant emissions and a stagnant air mass allowed pollution levels to rapidly increase. News coverage noted responses from residents that included the inability to see a football field to not seeing a street curb or the end of your hand. Life magazine ran an article titled, “Murder From the Mills,” with experts noting if the smog lasted another evening the number of deaths could have topped 1,000. The smog killed 20. Recently the Donora Smog Museum opened. Fastcast: Comfortable.
Copyright © 2011, Capital City Press LLC • 7290 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70810 • All Rights Reserved
Print article